Otium: the subtle charm of existence
Three Events Featuring Poetry, Music, and Dance in Celebration of Humanitas:
December 18, 2021 - Villa Falconieri (Frascati)
December 19, 2021 - Archaeological Site of Horace’s Villa (Licenza)
December 21, 2021 - Park Hotel Villa Grazioli (Grottaferrata)
Winner of the public call for supporting cultural revitalization and local engagement by LAZIOcrea, under the auspices of ISMEO-International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies. Curated by the cultural association Music Theatre International (M.Th.I.), in collaboration with Accademia Vivarium Novum, and funded by the Lazio Region.
The central theme of these events is otium — as the Romans treasured it, a time set apart from daily concerns to attend to the higher needs of being. This ideal of balanced intellectual and physical cultivation, accompanied by the pleasures of art and good company, has been embraced by many cultures and resonates today, especially after the collective experience of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Event Highlights
December 18 at Villa Falconieri: Routes of the Orient, a staged recital recreating the exotic ambiance of the Near East, with music, dance, and readings from travel chronicles and classical literature. Audiences are welcomed as guests into a recreated khaima tent, with the ceremonial tea ritual reflecting the tradition of hospitality in Arab culture.
Performers: Aziza Essalek, Lisa Damascelli, Giovanni Squillacioti, Esharef Alì Mhagag, Tiziana Costantini, Francesca Rocchi, Gabriele Pomettini, Marta Casasola, Abdelilah Jobbid. Stage direction and text selection by Aziza Essalek and Paola Sarcina.
December 19 at the Horace Villa Site: Carpe Diem, an Italian and Latin reading from Horace’s works by the M.Th.I. actors.
December 21 at Park Hotel Villa Grazioli: Rethinking Horace, a poetic-musical tribute to Horace’s life and reflections. Featuring verses from his Odes, recited and sung, with original compositions by Alessandro Murzi.
Performers: Elena Memoli, Lorenzo Acquaviva, Alessandra Diamanti, Bono Quartet (Fabrizio Bono, Mariana Dudnic, Fabio Andronico, Sandro De Blasio), Alessandro Murzi on piano. Stage direction by Paola Sarcina.
All events are free with required reservations, held in adherence to current Covid-19 regulations.
Produced by the nonprofit cultural association Music Theatre International – M.Th.I., in collaboration with Accademia Vivarium Novum and Park Hotel Villa Grazioli, under the auspices of ISMEO-International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies. Thanks to the Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape Authority for the Rome Metropolitan Area and Rieti Province and to Enzo Rossi.
